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Justice Democrats Endorse Donavan McKinney in Primary Challenge Against Shri Thanedar

The progressive group’s first House primary endorsement in four years signals a renewed push for working-class representation and opposition to corporate influence in Michigan’s 13th District.

FILE - Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., listens to comments before the NAACP Detroit branch Fight for Freedom Fund dinner in Detroit, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)
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FILE - Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., speaks at the Labor Day parade in Detroit, Sept. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

Overview

  • Michigan state Rep. Donavan McKinney, a progressive legislator with a record on violence prevention and environmental justice, has launched a primary campaign against incumbent Rep. Shri Thanedar for the 2026 Democratic nomination.
  • Justice Democrats, known for propelling members of the ‘Squad’ to Congress, announced its endorsement of McKinney, marking its first primary challenge to a sitting House Democrat since 2021–22.
  • McKinney criticizes Thanedar, a multimillionaire who largely self-funds his campaigns, for prioritizing corporate donors and neglecting constituent services in Detroit’s 13th District, one of the nation’s poorest and 80% Black.
  • Thanedar has faced scrutiny for his policy reversals, including renouncing socialist affiliations and aligning with pro-Israel lobbying groups after a 2023 AIPAC-funded trip to Israel, which some constituents view as abandoning progressive values.
  • This race highlights broader tensions within the Democratic Party over corporate influence, grassroots activism, and representation, as progressives aim to reshape the caucus and restore Black representation to Detroit in Congress.